Blood of my Blood
by KDSanders
Summary: Lucy Bloom has made mistakes in her life.  After a year imprisoned in her coffin for her crimes, an opportunity has presented itself giving Lucy a chance to change her life forever.  Complete. Rated for violence. Sequal to Bloodthirsty in Alabama.
1. Blood of Life

**(A/N: Alright. This is a promise made to my dear friend and character inspiration Lauryn Brook. In return for her letting me sully the good name of Lucy Bloom I promised a spin off story in return. Here we go)**

**Blood of Life**

Lucy fidgeted aimlessly with her necklace. To the untrained eye it appeared to be simply a fashion accessory, an old brass skeleton key on a thin gold chain. This however, wasn't for show. This key was a keepsake, a reminder of the worst mistake of Lucy's life. This key locked the coffin that had been Lucy's prison for the last year, her punishment for feeding on an unwilling human, a human she poached from her supposed friend Margo. In the end, she'd been so greedy that she'd almost killed the man.

Upon her release she'd been assigned a counselor, a sort of parole officer to make sure she didn't seek retribution on Margo or Henry. It was now three months later and Lucy's counselor had deemed her fit to return to open living without restriction. It had been a new start.

Tonight she sat in front of her computer playing with the key to her freedom. Occasionally she sipped her bottle of Tru Blood. She'd been living strictly synthetic since she'd been released. She amazed herself at her ability to control herself. When she'd been released her hunger was incredible. She felt like she had the night she'd been made, the night she rose from her grave and drained a group of campers before her maker was able to restrain her. They'd offered her a donor, but she refused. In her year of captivity she'd come to the decision about her feeding habits.

Her scars itched. She wasn't use to that. She hadn't remembered having an itch in the last 40 years. She was healing slowly. The silver burns on most of her body had pretty much healed, but there were areas on her arms and legs that itched and tingled as it tried to repair itself.

The message board on her screen was busy tonight. New posts were popping up every few minutes. There were a lot of people needing the service she could provide. The challenge was picking the right person.

This wasn't common; there weren't many vampires willing to do what she wanted to do. It was new, progressive, and a little controversial. The AVL had tried to shut down sites like this, fearing the repercussions, but for every site they closed, 3 more opened. In the end the AVL decided it would be easier to try and regulate these arrangements instead of stopping them.

Lucy browsed dozens of posts; all of them sad stories, pleas for help, desperate people begging for a loved one to be saved. Husbands, wives, parents, siblings; they had all logged on in hopes of winning the gift of life. These sites were for people, human people, looking for vampires willing to turn a loved one in order to save their life. Sadly there were more needy humans than vampires willing to take on the responsibility. Even sadder, most of those needing help were children. This presented a special challenge. Changing a child was a moral and legal conundrum. The Authority frowned upon it, but it could be done.

This was the challenge Lucy was looking to accept. In her year of contemplation Lucy had decided to better her life, make amends for her actions by saving a child.

She had always wanted a child. She'd been 24 at the time of her turning. She had many friends at the time with children. Like any woman in her 20's she'd imagined what it would be like to be a mother, but that dream ended with her human life. No, Lucy would never feel a child growing inside her. She would never hold a child of her own flesh, but she could create a child of her blood. She could save someone else's child and bring it into its new vampire life.

After over an hour of reading, a task she was much faster at now than she'd been in her human years Lucy had narrowed down her choice to three. The first was a boy of 12 with a rare blood disorder; doctors had said he wouldn't live past 15. His parents posted pictures of him playing with his younger siblings and fishing with his dad. In the end Lucy decided he had plenty of time to find a maker and crossed him off the list. Second was a girl of 7. She had been in a car accident two years earlier and in a coma ever since. There was some debate on the site as to weather or not changing her would work. If her brain was damage the result may not be what they wanted. The girl might be uncontrollable and unpredictable. This too, Lucy crossed off her list. The last had been on the board for several weeks. She assumed it was the age that turned others away. This would be a challenge indeed. It was a 5-year-old girl. The post was by a social worker. The girl had been in the hospital since she was two. No foster or adoptive family could be found because of her condition. The girl had leukemia. No bone-marrow matches had been found. No family had stepped forward to claim responsibility. The girl didn't even have a name. They were calling her Jane Doe…the post said she liked to be called Janie.

Red tears streaked her face as Lucy read the post. No one wanted this girl. Even the social worker stated that her relationship would end as soon as Janie found a maker. She was a discard, a throw away, an unwanted child lying helpless and dying in a hospital bed. Through her tears Lucy clicked the reply button.

_I will speak to the appropriate authorities in my state and get approval for this. I will contact you as soon as I receive their decision.  
>-Lucy Bloom, Vampire<em>

Next Lucy sent an email to Margo. It was awkward. She had not spoken to Margo since she'd been release from her coffin. She'd apologized to her and Henry but wasn't sure if the apology had been accepted. She wasn't sure she would have accepted under the same circumstances. Still, she needed an audience with the Queen and the only way to the Queen was through Margo. 

_Margo,  
>I understand you may not want to hear from me, but I desperately need and audience with Her Majesty the Queen. If you could arrange this I would be most grateful. If I must give the reason for this meeting I would like to do so in person. I would be willing to meet with you, in public of course, perhaps at Fangtasia? Please consider, this is very important.<em>

_Lucy_

Lucy went to ground the next two nights with no answer. On the third night she received a reply.

_Fangtasia, tonight at 10._

_Margo_

Lucy wore her best dress. She was not dressed for Fangtasia. She was dressed for a meeting with the Queen's second. She was dressed, she hoped, like a vampire who could be trusted to make another.

Margo sat at a corner table dressed in dark denim shorts and a black Fangtasia tank top. Lucy grinned; they hadn't had those when she'd be locked away. As Lucy approached she saw that Margo was not alone. Lucy hadn't seen Pam since a few weeks before she'd been sentenced and locked away. Her blond hair glowed in the dim light of the bar, flowing down to her bare shoulders. Lucy noted that Pam looked amazing in her hot pink halter-top. A very summer look, for so early in spring.

"Margo," she said with a slight bow. "Thank you for meeting with me. Pam, nice to see you again."

"You too," Pam said. "Before we begin let me say. I have always liked you, but I am here at the behest of my maker. I have been instructed to protect Margo and back her up at all costs. I would hate to destroy someone as beautiful as you, but that doesn't mean I wont. Got that Cupcake?"

"Got it. I promise this is on the level."

"Then sit," Pam instructed.

Lucy sat across from the two vampires and folded her hands on the table. "I have requested an audience with your mistress because I would like to become a maker."

"You don't need approval for that," Margo said. "As long as the person is willing. They are willing, aren't they?"

"Yes," she said understanding the concern. "There is a bigger issue at hand. I have found a human on Blood of Life."

Margo raised her eyebrow. "The human's age?"

"Five."

Both Margo and Pam looked shocked.

"Five," Pam said. "Do children even speak at five?"

Lucy smiled; Pam certainly had been a vampire for a long time.

"Yes," Lucy said. "She speaks. She has leukemia. The doctors say she will die before the end of the year if something is not done."

"And her parents give consent?" Margo asked.

"She has no parents. She didn't even have a name when she came to the hospital. Child services posted the information. They said it was at the request of the child."

"Does she understand," Margo insisted. "Does she know what will happen? That you will have to bite her and kill her, then bury her in the ground. Does she know that she'll be dead and have to drink blood forever and never see the sun?"

"The doctors say that have explained all of this to her. Apparently she is very bright for her age. She reads. They say she knows exactly what will happen and said a vampire bite can't be worse than a spinal tap."

"You know that this will be a lot of responsibility. She will be extremely impulsive and hungry. You will have to watch her nonstop for a long time. Then there is the challenge of her later life. She will eventually have the mind of an adult and the body of a child. She will have urges and desires that her body was not meant for. You are opening a massive can of worms here."

"I understand. I am not going into this half-heartedly. I know that she will be my responsibility until the day I meet the true death. I am ready to dedicate my life to someone other than myself."

Margo sighed. "Alright. Give me the girl's information and I will give the details to Her Majesty. You will hear from us soon."

Lucy stood and handed Margo a slip of paper from her pocket. "Thank you," she said with a bow. As she exited, she saw Eric Northman sitting at the bar talking to Margo's human Henry. Lucy couldn't meet either of their eyes. Eric had never been fond of Lucy, even less so when she'd put his bar at risk by committing a forced feeding in the parking lot. And Henry, well, Henry had been the meal in said forced feeding. She left the bar silently hoping the sins of her past would not put a stop to her plans.


	2. My New Vampire Mommy

**(A/N: Okay, this was sort of hard to write. WARNING: This chapter contains the draining of a young child. Not recommended for all readers. Not graphic, just sad. Lauryn Brook…sorry if that was too much…but I told you it wasn't easy.) **

**My New Vampire Mommy**

The email had come as a complete shock to Lucy. She'd expect to hear that her request had been granted and she'd be able to plead her case to the Queen. As it turned out the Queen took it upon herself to investigate the situation further. When the reply finally came it stated that the Queen would await Lucy's arrival in St. Louis at the children's hospital where Janie was being treated. She would over see Janie's transformation herself and the three of them would return to Alabama together via Anubis Air. "I suggest," Margo wrote, "you acquire a child sized coffin for Janie's safe travel and a sufficient supply of blood for when she rises."

Lucy went to work right away. She booked her flight, ordered a coffin to be collected upon her arrival in St. Louis, and left for the store. How many bottles of blood could a hungry child eat, she wondered. She decided on three cases, just incase.

She sat in the hospital waiting room like a nervous parent waiting for the nurse to say she could see her baby. When the Queen emerged two humans flanked her.

"Lucy," the Queen said, "This is Natasha Stephens from social services. She is Janie's caseworker. And this is David Hunt; he is an attorney that comes highly recommended by the AVL. He will be handling your legal adoption of Janie."

"Legal adoption," Lucy said.

"In the case of children," Mr. Hunt said, "it is best if there is a legal contract with the child's guardian. As Janie does not have a legal guardian you will need to adopt her."

"Is that legal?"

"It is in the state of Missouri. When human/vampire marriage became legal, the bill also covered human/vampire adoption."

"Alright," Lucy said. "What do I have to do?"

"Just sign here," he said holding out a sheet of paper.

Lucy signed.

"Congratulations," he said "you are now a mother."

Lucy felt a tightness in her chest she hadn't felt for many years. If her heart were beating it would have been pounding in her throat. She turned her face away from the others, hiding the bright red tears she knew were forming in the corner of her eyes.

To her relief, the Queen took charge, giving her a moment to compose herself. "I thank you both for your cooperation," she said "but now Lucy and I would like to take her daughter from the hospital and proceed in private."

The social worker looked as if she was going to protest.

"We can't stop you," Mr. Hunt said. "She is your daughter after all. You'll just have to sign discharge papers with the hospital and there is the matter of her medical bills."

Lucy looked worried, she hadn't thought about the bills.

"That has been taken care of," the Queen assured. "And I have a nurse drawing up the discharge papers now. We will collect the child and sign them as we leave. Lucy," she said turning to her. "Go and ready your child."

Lucy, now back in control of her emotions, bowed.

She walked into the room to find Janie lying in bed with a book. The florescent light of the hospital room shined on her pale bald head. As Lucy entered the girl looked up.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," Lucy replied.

"Are you my new vampire mommy?"

"I am," Lucy smiled. "My name is Lucy. You can call me that if you like, or you can call me mom. You can decide that later if you want. You're name is Janie?"

The girl nodded. "That's not my real name though. I didn't have one, so they just gave it to me."

"Do you like that name?"

The girl shook her head.

"Do you have another name picked out? A name you like more?"

The girl nodded. "Penny," she said.

"Penny," Lucy said sweetly. "That is a very pretty name. How did you come up with it?"

"The movie with the mice," she said, "the ones that help people. They helped a girl named Penny who didn't have a mommy and daddy."

"Well then," Lucy said. "Penny it is. Penny Bloom. We'll be leaving now. Do you understand what's going to happen?"

Penny nodded nervously. "I read it on the computer. It said you have to bite me and drink my blood."

"That's right."

"Then I'll drink yours and die."

"Yes," Lucy said, "but not forever. I'll go to sleep with you underground and when you wake up you'll be a vampire."

"And I'll drink blood."

"Yes. Do you have any questions before we go?"

"Will you get sick from my blood? They say the leukemia is in my blood cells."

"No," Lucy said. "I won't get sick."

"Will it hurt, dying?"

"A little, but I can make you not feeling a lot of it, if you want."

"Will I have fangs?" Lucy nodded. "Can I see yours?" Lucy dropped fang. "Cool," Penny said.

"Anything else?"

"So I'll look like this forever," she said.

"Yes," Lucy replied. "You'll never grow taller, or gain weight. You're body will never grow up."

"So I'll be bald forever," she sighed.

Lucy smiled. "That's an easy fix. We can get you lots of wigs. You can change your hair anytime you want."

Penny cheered up a little.

"Alright," Lucy said. "Are you ready to go? Do you have everything packed?"

Penny shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have anything to pack."

"What about your toys and books?"

"They're the hospital's."

"Clothes?"

Penny shook her head.

"We'll have to do some shopping then after you wake up."

There was a knock at the door.

"Are you ready," the Queen called stepping in the door.

Lucy looked to Penny.

"Let's go," the little girl said bravely.

A car waited out front for the three.

"Where are we going?" Penny asked.

"The vampires of this area have offered us a place to use for your making and a place for you to go to ground tonight." The Queen said. "Are you frightened Janie?"

Lucy cleared her throat. "Majesty," she interrupted. "The child has selected a new name. This," she introduced, "is Penny Bloom. Penny, this is Queen Amelia Hanover."

"Are you really a Queen?" Penny asked excitedly.

"Yes child," she replied. "I am the Queen of the Vampires of Alabama, where you and your mother will be living."

"Do you have a King?"

"No," the Queen answered. "Not yet. Maybe someday."

"Do you have kids?"

"I have one. A daughter." 

"Was she sick like me?"

"Sort of," the Queen said sadly. "She was hurt and dying."

"So you saved her like my new mommy is saving me?"

"I did."

"So she's a princess?"

The Queen smiled. "Yes. I guess she is."

The rest of the ride was quiet. They finally reached a cemetery. A man was waiting by a mausoleum. He silently motioned for them to follow him inside.

"Lucy, Penny, this is Francois Lefevre he is the Sheriff of the St. Louis area."

"Bonsoir ladies," he said in a faint French accent. "Welcome to my area. You can use this space for the young ones transformation, there is a grave prepared outside. The Queen and I will leave you alone now. Bring her out when you're done and we will bury you."

Penny shivered as the two vampires left. Lucy picked her up and sat her on the large stone table platform in the middle of the room.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded, trying not to show that she was afraid.

"It's alright," Lucy said. "I know this is scary. Just look into my eyes and I can help." Penny's eyes met Lucy's. "That's good. Just keep breathing. Everything is going to be fine. I'm going to bite you now but it's not going to hurt."

Lucy had to force her fangs out. She had no physical urge to drink from this child. Penny let out a whimper as Lucy's fangs sunk in. Lucy drank; cradling Penny's tiny body against her. The girl's breath became more labored and in what seemed like only minutes Lucy could feel the child's heartbeat slow near death. When only the tiniest spark was left Lucy released. Her face stained red with tears she lifted her wrist to her mouth and bit.

"Drink baby," she begged hoping she hadn't gone too far.

Suddenly Penny's little mouth closed on the wound and began to drink. After a moment the girl's body began to shiver, then all life ceased. Her heart stopped beating, she stopped breathing. The child was dead.

Sobbing Lucy carried Penny's lifeless body outside. Still cradling the child she climbed into the open grave and laid down, her body curved around the girl.

"We shall return tomorrow night for you," the Queen said. "We can take the child back in her coffin and allow her to rise in her new home."

"If she rises at all," Lucy cried.

"You did what you had to," the Queen said. "It will take or it will not, that part is up to fate."


	3. The Rules

**(A/N: This one is coming to me a lot easier than I'd expected. I hope you all are enjoying this, though I guess all that really matter is that Lauryn Brook enjoys it.)**

**The Rules**

Anubis Air arranged to bring Penny's coffin back to Lucy's house. Once safe inside she nervously opened the lid. The girl was pale as death but looked as if she were sleeping. Again Lucy feared the procedure hadn't taken, but her eyes fell to Penny's neck. The bite marks had already healed. Lucy smiled excitedly. This was a good sign. Emboldened Lucy allowed herself to hope.

She kissed Penny's forehead and closed the tiny coffin. With a sigh of relief she grabbed her car keys and her checkbook, she had some serious shopping to do. She only had a few hours before the stores closed, but Lucy managed to stock up on toys, books and clothes at Target. Then went to the mall to get some more high-end items. She knew she was going over board. There would be plenty of time to buy Penny new clothes, but the way she saw it, tomorrow was Penny's birthday and she hand never had anything of her own. Lucy would make sure tomorrow night was special.

When she returned home, arms full of bags, she put the finishing touches on Penny's room. This room had been Lucy's before her maker met the true death, so Lucy was certain it was light tight. She changed the bedding to something a little more appropriate for a girl of Penny's age, polka dots in soft pastels. She put away the new clothes in drawers and hung the nicer dresses in the closet. Toys covered the shelves. Her favorite, Lucy saved for last. It had caught her eye by chance as she browsed the toy section at target. A group of toys called Monster High looked like Barbie versions of classic movie monsters, Lucy had laughed, but passed them over. As she walked away she dropped her keys. Bending down to get them she saw a stuffed doll on the bottom shelf. The tag said "Draculaura". She looked like a normal plush doll with yarn hair and button eyes, but on her smiling mouth were fangs. Lucy couldn't help herself. She propped the doll up in the center of the bed and turned off the light.

Lucy woke early on Penny's third night. She quickly dressed and checked that the house was ready for a child. Plenty of true blood in the fridge, Disney dvds in the living room, toys and books in the bedroom. Lucy was as ready as she was ever going to be.

Suddenly she heard a stirring in Penny's room. As she sat on the bed the lid of the small white coffin opened. Penny looked at her own hand in amazement, surprised at how easily she'd lifted the lid.

"I'm strong," she said in shock.

"Yes," Lucy said through tears. "You'll be very strong from now on, and fast. You'll do some things faster than human's can see."

"Why are you crying, Mommy?"

"I'm just so happy that you're alright. I was afraid it didn't work."

"But it did," she smiled. "I'm all better now."

"Yes," she said wiping her face. "You're all better."

In a flash the girl was out of her coffin and in Lucy's lap holding her face in her tiny hands.

"Will I cry blood," she asked inquisitively.

"Yes."

Another quick movement found the girl moving from place to place in the room looking at her new toys, and then finally jumping on the bed, her vampire doll hugged tightly to her.

"Is all this mine," she asked.

"Yes. Everything in here is yours. New toys, books, clothes. There are movies for you to watch in the living room."

"She's a vampire like me." She said holding out the doll.

Lucy nodded. "Her name is Draculaura."

"I've never felt like this," she said giggling. "I don't hurt, I'm not tired, I'm just…" she stopped jumping. Her broad grin revealing the smallest fangs Lucy had ever seen. "I'm hungry, mommy."

"Come on," she said scooping the girl up into her arms. "Let's get you fed."

Penny finished 6 bottles as fast as Lucy could heat them. She seemed to have no regard for blood type at that point, drinking too fast to taste them. Her cheeks pinked afterward and Lucy marveled at how healthy she looked now.

"What now," the girl asked.

"For now," Lucy replied, "we'll watch some movies and then we'll talk about the rules of being a vampire. Then you will go to bed."

"When can I go outside?"

"Not for a while," Lucy answered. "We have to make sure you understand the rules first. You are small, but you are still very dangerous. You could do something bad and not even mean to."

"Like what?"

"We'll talk about it later," she said hugging the girl. "First go pick a movie."

After a double feature of Little Mermaid and Cinderella, Lucy was ready to go over the rules.

"There are things you have to know about being a vampire. First and most important is the sun. You must never go into the sun. Sunlight will burn your skin. Too much sunlight will kill you."

"What if I wake up too early and go out by accident?"

"Your room is sealed to light, so as you sleep you will be safe. As for waking too soon, your body knows when the sun is up. It will try to keep you asleep until it is safe. If you do not rest during the day you will get sick."

"What kind of sick?"

"Vampires get something called the bleeds. If you do not get enough sleep you will start to bleed from your nose and ears, and even your eyes. It is not fun, so I recommend you go to sleep when I tell you to."

The child nodded.

"You must also beware of fire and silver. Both can injure you. At your age they will not kill you, but it may take a long time to heal. As for food, in our house we drink blood from a bottle. Some vampires drink from people, but we do not."

"Why not?"

"For me," she said, "its because I don't want to. For you, it's just too dangerous. When you are older and have more control I may teach you to feed on people. When that day comes you can only feed on someone who is willing. That means they give you permission to bite them."

"When can I go outside?"

"When I decide you have enough control over yourself to be around people. You would be little threat to a were or another vampire, but you cannot be trusted around human's yet. A new vampire, even a grown up new vampire is very hungry. They will do anything for food. You can kill without meaning to. Trust me," she said, "you will never forget that."

"You've killed," the girl asked as if she was asking the time.

"I have. When I was new I killed almost every time I fed. Even now I have a hard time controlling myself. It is a skill that takes a lot of practice. So for now we will stay in and find ways to amuse ourselves. You will do home school on the computer and I will teach you what I know about our race and its history."

The idea of school did not please the girl. She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

Lucy looked at the clock, it was about an hour to sunrise.

"Alright," Lucy instructed. "Bath time, then pajamas and into bed."

Penny didn't fight this. She'd never had a bubble bath before and was happy to wash off the dirt left from her time in the ground. When she was clean, Lucy dressed her in a pale pink nightgown and tucked her into bed.

"I will come and wake you in the evening when the sun is gone. If you get up before I come in, you should stay in here and play."

Penny nodded.

"Goodnight Princess," she said kissing her cheek.

"Goodnight mommy."


	4. Progress

**(A/N: Sorry for the long delay in chapters but the holidays and everything kind of took control. Enjoy.)**

**Progress **

Nights seemed to pass quickly and before Lucy knew it, it was two weeks since the night of Penny's birth. Penny was learning quickly. Her home school testing put her into the first grade, though she would have normally been in kindergarten, and she was finishing her lessons with ease. Her memory was remarkable. She took in the information Lucy taught her like a sponge and in only two weeks could recall vampire history better than Lucy.

After two weeks Penny was restless. She'd never felt this well and now that she did she was cooped up in the house all the time. Lucy knew sooner or later she'd have to allow the child some outside contact, but there were constant reminders of the dangers of that. Penny was finishing 7 to 8 bottles of blood nightly. Her hunger was like nothing Lucy had ever seen. A delivery service came by every other day with a fresh supply. Each time the human deliveryman smiled uneasily at the child hiding behind her mother, and then grimaced as she gave him a fangy smile.

On a random Tuesday night, Lucy was surprised to hear a knock at the door. She wasn't expecting a delivery, or company. She knew that the person outside was a vampire; looking through the peephole she saw it was Margo.

"Margo," she said with a bow. "To what do we owe this honor?"

"My Mistress asked me to come and check on the child's progress."

"Please come in," she said knowing Margo didn't have to be invited in. "Penny, this is Margo. She is the Queen's daughter."

Penny came out from behind Lucy. She wore a bright pink shirt with dark jeans, and a knitted pink hat covered her bald head.

"You're the Princess," she said hugging her doll.

"I am," Margo smiled. "the Queen asked me to come and see how you were doing."

"I'm all better now. I can run and jump and play," she said excitedly. "My mommy bought me toys and books and lots of pretty dresses. And," she said emphatically, "I have lots of different wigs to wear when I'm allowed out of the house."

"That's very nice. Are you learning a lot?"

"I am," she nodded. "Mommy says I'll be done with the first grade soon and I know everything about vampires."

"Well," Lucy smiled. "As much as I know. Maybe more. She's been reading things on the internet."

"That's good. How about your feedings? Are you getting enough to eat?"

"She averages 7 to 8 bottles a night. She is starting to develop a favorite type, A positive mostly."

"Penny," Margo said, "could I talk to your mother alone for a minute?"

Penny bowed, as Lucy had told her to do when around vampire royalty, and went to her bedroom. The adults moved further into the living room. Lucy sat on the sofa, Margo sat in an adjacent chair.

"How do you think things are going?"

"Better than I'd expected," she said honestly. "She is very bright for her age. I don't know how much is vampire ability and how is her, but she is buzzing through her school work and can recall any facts I've given her about vampire culture and history."

"What about her impulses?"

"She is getting restless. She wants to be around people and be outside. But she is obedient. She has not tried to leave the house or question my decisions. Her hunger is larger than I'd expected, but I think she will be able to control herself if fed properly."

"Would you trust her around humans," Margo asked cautiously.

"Not yet. I want to get her around other vampires, maybe other supes first. I'm not sure she can handle humans yet, and I know they're not ready to handle her. Our deliveryman nearly wets himself whenever she looks at him."

"Well," Margo said with a sigh. "It sounds like things are going better than any of us could have hoped. So much better in fact, I'd like to ask you a favor."

This surprised Lucy. Her past with Margo was, well, troubled. For Margo to need and be willing to ask a favor from Lucy was nothing short of a miracle.

"We're a little short handed at Fangtasia. We're packed most nights but haven't been able to keep servers lately. Vamps are getting bored and humans can't keep up. Would you consider coming back?"

This really was a miracle. It was her job at Fangtasia that had put Lucy in the position to cause trouble. If she was being asked back it must mean that either they were extremely hard up, or Lucy had really impressed Margo and her maker with Penny's progress. Lucy hoped it was the later.

"I'd love to," Lucy said. "But what about Penny? I can't just leave her unattended while I go to work."

"Her Majesty thinks this could be the an opportunity for getting her out of the house. The bar's accountant is a newly turned vampire woman. She was a mother in her human life and her husband has not allowed her contact with her children since her turning. She as agreed to watch Penny on the nights you work. This gives Penny a chance to socialize outside of your home and you a break from parenting."

Lucy thought about it. The idea was tempting, but she was worried about trusting Penny with someone else.

Apparently Margo could since her hesitation. "Would you like to meet Charlotte first?"

Lucy nodded. "If I could please?"

"Understood. I'll have her stop by tomorrow evening if that's alright with you." Margo rose and made her way to the door. "If you approve of her and want to come back just give me a call and we'll work out your schedule."

"Thank you," Lucy said. "I appreciate the offer. I'll let you know."

The next night Charlotte Mason came by just as planned. Her smile was warm and her eyes were bright, almost twinkling. Were she not pale as death and lacking a pulse Lucy would have never assumed she was a vampire. She was dressed in a chocolate brown pantsuit with a matching leather purse and shoes. She looked like she should be working in a high-rise office building or standing in a courtroom, not trying to convince Lucy she was capable of babysitting a vampire child. She stood tall and professional when she spoke to Lucy. She addressed her as Ms. Bloom and always looked her directly in the eye.

Her demeanor changed when I introduced Penny. Despite the obvious worth of her suit she instantly knelt to the floor to be more on the girls level. She her voice was tender and kind, like a pre-school teacher.

"What a pretty girl you are," Charlotte said. "How old are you sweetheart?"

"I am five in human years," she said picking at her dolls pink and black yarn hair. "But I'm a new vampire, only a few weeks now. How old are you?"

Charlotte laughed softly. "I have been a vampire for a year now. I was 34 human years when I turned."

"Did you have kids?"

"I had two daughters and a son. He was only your age when I was turned."

"Do you see them?"

"Once," she said sadly, "from very far away, their dad doesn't like vampires very much."

"Then why did you become one?"

"Penny," Lucy corrected, " that is a very personal question."

"It's okay," Charlotte said. "I was in a car accident. Before the paramedics got to me a man stopped to help. He was a vampire. When the ambulance got there they said I was too far-gone…there was nothing they could do. He turned me to save my life."

"Are you mad at him?"

"I was at first, I didn't want to live if I couldn't be with my children. But their father could change his mind…or they could find me on their own when they grow up. Or their children could. I realized all hope wasn't lost."

Finally Charlotte said she had to be getting to work and told Penny goodbye.

"Thank you for coming by," I told her.

"Oh no," she said, "Thank you. It's really nice to be around a child who isn't afraid of me. She's really quite incredible. I didn't know you could turn someone so young."

"It takes approval from the leader of your district or state. The Queen herself came with me the night she was made."

"Well, you're doing a wonderful job with her, she's so well spoken and smart."

"That's mostly her," Lucy admitted. "So, you wouldn't mind watching her?"

"Oh not at all," she gasped. "It would be a joy!"

Lucy smiled. "I'll call Margo this evening and work out the details, but I think Penny would be in great hands with you."

"Thank you," she said excitedly. "You really have no idea what this means to me."

With that the woman left and Lucy went to call Margo.


	5. Time Passes

**(A/N: Sorry if the chapter is a little slow. It's sort of a transitional chapter. Enjoy)**

**Time Passes**

Getting back into the swing of work was much easier than Lucy had expected. She only worked three nights a week. Some nights she would take Penny to Charlotte's, but most nights Charlotte worked from the club and Penny played in the office.

Those nights were most fun for Lucy. At first she'd worried what sort of place a bar was for a five year old, but it was very obvious that Penny was not a normal five year old. She was not allowed out of the office during business hours, but she had free run when the doors were closed.

The staff accepted her openly, even the humans. It turned out to be the perfect socialization process for the child.

When the bar was open Lucy brought Penny's drinks to her, making sure she was fed. Penny traded drawings for drinks, making sure that every employee had a crayon sketch of him or herself.

Sometimes Lucy would see a whoosh move from the office to the supply closet and back again. This meant Penny was simply out of paper.

One evening Pam and Eric came from a visit and ended up spending most of the evening in the office. As Lucy brought them a refill the little office noisy with chatter.

"This is your child," Eric asked as Lucy entered.

"Yes, Mr. Northman. I am sorry if she's interrupting her work, but the Queen…"

Eric put up his hand to stop her. "The Queen has told me about your arrangement. I was simply going to complement you on her upbringing. Pam was not nearly as well behaved months after her making…and she was much older in human years."

"Are you calling me old?" Pam huffed.

Penny ran to Lucy and tugged on her apron.

"Mommy mommy," he called, "Eric is teaching me to fly."

Lucy's eyes grew wide.

"I hope you don't mind," he said. "I didn't mean to intrude. I'm sure you know that it's not something all vampires can do. I just wanted to see if she had the ability. So far she can only levitate, but with some training she should be able to maintain flight for a prolonged period."

"Show me," Lucy said almost afraid to see.

The girl stepped back and held her arms out from balance. She rose slowly until she was almost a foot off the ground. She giggled. Soon she started to wobble then fell. Gracefully, she landed on her feet.

Lucy was shocked. "Very good sweetheart. I'm very proud of you. Did you thank Mr. Northman for showing you how."

"She did," he replied. "She has remarkable manners for being born in this decade." He looked at his watch. "Well, I must be going. Ms. Bloom, it was wonderful seeing you again. Penny my dear," he kissed her little hand, "you keep practicing and next time I come we may go flying together," he smiled at Lucy. "If your mother approves."

"We'll have to see about that."

He reached in his pocket as he opened the door and produced a small piece of paper. The vampire drawn on it wore a black leather jacket and a head full of golden blonde hair. With a wink he exited.

"I got one too," Pam said pulling a similar drawing from her purse, "the likeness is vague, but not bad for one so young I suppose. Keep up the good work, cupcake. See you again soon cutie," she called back to Penny.

"You are pure magic," Lucy said kissing the girls' forehead. She gave Charlotte a little wave then returned to work.

The months passed quickly and Penny was improving by leaps and bounds. As the sixth month of her vampire life passed Penny was breezing through fourth grade courses. She devoured anything she could find on Vampire history. The Queen sent a few books for her and they were returned within only days. Other vampires who crossed her path were amazed at her knowledge and ability. After word spread of her levitation vampires began testing her for other gifts as well. It was discovered that though she was skilled a glamouring, her vamp speed and strength was pretty average. Eric's visits brought lessons on levitation and theory of flight. After three visits with Eric, Lucy finally agreed to allow Penny to go flying with him. She was amazed as she stood in parking lot and watched her daughter raise off into the night. To Lucy's relief Eric held the girl's hand and they never left the general area.

"Did you see!" Penny called as she landed. "Did you see me mommy!"

"I did sweetheart. You did very well."

Eric complemented the girls' talent and excused himself.

"Come on," Lucy said scooping Penny up. "Time to go home and get ready for bed."

"Excuse me," a voice called from a shadowed area at the edge of the parking lot. "Could you help me?"

Lucy turned her body, putting herself between Penny and the unseen stranger.

A man stepped into the light. He was a white man, in his early 40s and balding. His Ralph Lauren Polo shirt and Khaki pants did not fit in with the bar's usual clientele but she remembered seeing him inside earlier that night. Why was he still here so long after closing?

"My car won't start do you have some jumper cables?"

"No," Lucy said understanding. "I'm sorry, I don't. You can borrow my cell to call someone if you want."

"I've called AAA already. Just figured I might be able to get out of here a little sooner."

"Sorry I couldn't be more help," she said politely. "Hope they come soon. If you need anything go knock…there will still be people working for the next hour or so."

"Thanks," the guy said walking back into the darkness. "I'll remember that."

Lucy watched for a moment as the interior light of the man's car came on and went off again as he shut the door. Feeling a that familiar ache in her body that told her the sun would be up soon she carried Penny to the car and started for home.

Once or twice on the drive she noticed other cars passing on the road. It was odd for this time of night. Her house was off the beaten path and these back roads were mostly deserted when she was awake and driving. As she neared the house she shook off her concern. No one followed her or was even driving in the same direction. Penny was nearly asleep, what vampires called asleep, when Lucy got her out of her booster seat.

No one stopped them from entering the house. No one was waiting inside. No one knocked as they were getting read for bed. Lucy bathed Penny and tucked her in, then crawled into her own bed just as she was sure the sun was rising outside.


	6. Costumes and Chaos

**(A/N: Things are starting to get interesting. Enjoy)**

**Costumes and Chaos**

October came with a lot of excitement. Not only was Halloween a big draw in the Vampire community, but also this Halloween would mark two years since Fangtasia's opening. The bar was planning a big costume party in celebration. This would mean all hands on deck.

The week leading up to the party was seemingly quiet. Clientele thinned out, probably saving money and energy for the big to-do. Most nights Lucy was dismissed early and went home for movies with Penny.

Halloween night Lucy dawned her costume proudly. This year she'd decided to return to her roots. She wore a flowing tie-dyed peasant skirt and a white tank top bearing a peace sign. The beads and braided headband she wore weren't only vintage, they'd been what she was wearing the night she was made. As Lucy looked in the mirror she felt carried back over 40 years.

"You look pretty mommy," Penny said coming in the room.

She was wearing her own costume, though no one but the staff would see it. She was dressed as Rapunzel, complete with a long blonde braided wig.

"You look pretty too, Sweetheart." She said picking the girl up. "You are such a beautiful princess."

Penny toyed with the beads draped from Lucy's neck. "So I don't get to trick or treat tonight?" She asked.

"No sweetie," Lucy said sadly. "You're not ready for that kind of interation. Besides," she added, "you can't eat candy. What would you trick or treat for?"

"To show off my costume."

"Everyone will see it at the party tonight. Mr. Northman will probably be there. And Pam. I'll be she'll have a really nice costume."

That seemed to cheer the girl up, so they made their way to the bar. Tonight they parked in back and would enter through the rear, as a line was sure to form early out front.

All of the employees were dressed in costume. Margo and Henry were Batman and Cat Woman. Jessica was Jessica Rabbit; Lucy smiled at the appropriateness of this. When Lucy took Penny to the office she saw that Charlotte was dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West, green face and all.

The club was packed, many patrons wearing masks or makeup that hid their faces, so it was hard to know which regulars had come. At one point Eric and Pam made themselves known. Eric was wearing all black and with a black mask and a sword. At first Lucy assumed he was Zorro, but he told her he was the Dread Pirate Roberts.

"It's from some movie his human made him watch." Eric cut his eyes at her. "What?" Pam said. "I can google. You didn't watch something called the Princess Bride on your own, that one has Sookie written all over it."

If Lucy had ever seen Eric embarrassed, this was the time. To deflect attention off of him Lucy complemented Pam's costume.

She wore a light blue dress that came to about mid-thigh with white crinoline ruffles peaking out from under it. White tights hugged her slender legs down to her feet where she wore black Mary Janes. To top it off her blond hair was pushed back with a thin black ribbon, tied in a bow.

"You look wonderful Pam."

"Thank you," she said. "I remember reading the book when it was first published. I believe I had a first edition printing once but it's hard to keep up with such things we you sometimes have to pack up and move quickly."

"That's a shame," Lucy said. "Well, you two have fun. I should get back to work."

"You do that," Eric said walking away. "Oh," he called to her. "Mind if I take Penny for a fly tonight? The moon's full. We could get some real height and you would still be able to see us clearly."

"Sure," Lucy said. "If the parking lot clears out quickly enough and you promise not to let go of her hand."

"Promise." He said. "I'll check in on her later and talk to her about it."

The night went by quickly. I took Lucy her blood as usual; she and charlotte were watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

Sometime just after midnight, when the crowd was at full capacity and the bouncer was having to turn people away, the door burst open and a group of men dressed in black SWAT uniforms rushed in.

The pulsing music, the blearing metal detectors, and the shouts from patrons and police alike made for a symphony of harsh noise. Most of the vampires present were hunched over in pain shielding their extra sensitive ears from the commotion. Lucy moved slowly through the panicked crowd, forcing her way toward the office.

"Everyone remain calm" a voice called over the noise. "Vampires to one side of the room, humans to the other."

Some people listened, others were too frightened.

"Now!" The man called. He held up his hands. In one hand he held standard pepper spray, in the other he had what Lucy knew would be silver spray. It had become a staple for police departments in areas with a large vampire population.

Lucy tried to continue her motion towards the back.

"You in tie-dye," the officer shouted. "Over there with your kind."

Lucy complied.

"Who's in charge here," he asked.

"I am," Margo and Eric called in unison.

"Which is it?"

"I am the manager," Margo answered. "Mr. Northman is part owner and happens to be visiting."

"We received a tip that there was some illegal activity going on here tonight."

"What type of activity? We've monitored our capacity. We are with fire code. We have been carding human patrons all night. I assure you no human in this bar is under 21."

"We've been told there were public acts of feeding taking place."

"I assure you officer," Eric said, "there is none of that happening here. Feel free to search. None bite marks you find on the present humans will be fresh."

"I'll do that," he said. "Alright. You vampires hold tight, humans line up and show your necks to the officers."

Eric huffed and leaned against a booth. "When are they going to catch on that necks are not the only place to drink from."

"They're certainly one of the least appealing locations," Pam added.

Surprisingly there was only one human in the crowd with any bite marks. They brought Henry over to Eric and Margo like he'd been found stealing.

"This man says his marks came from you," the officer said.

"They did," Margo answered. "But I haven't fed on Henry in almost a week."

"Where did you do that?"

"In the privacy of our own home," she said holding up her left hand. "He's my fiancé."

The idea was a still knew to everyone. Alabama had only legalized vampire/human marriage a few months before and Henry had proposed on that day.

"Alright," the officer said slightly embarrassed. "Everything seems in order here. I apologize for the misunderstanding."

"No problem," Eric said calmly. "You're only doing your job."

When the police left almost half the crowd left with them, but there was a line of people waiting outside to take their place.

Relieved, Lucy excused herself to check on Penny.


	7. It's Not Her

(My favorite chapter so far. Includes an ectoplasmic reconstruction…it's explained in the chapter, but if you have further questions please feel free to ask. For those of you who are strictly show watchers, this is done twice in the books. Enjoy…you especially LBJ.)

**It's Not Her**

Her body tensed when she approached the office. The door was open. The door was never open during business ours. Lucy couldn't decided if she should slow down or speed up. In the end she ran to the door.

Her fears were realized as she entered to find a disgusting pile of what use to be a vampire. She fell to her knees, red tears streaking down her face.

"Lucy," a voice called from the hall. "Is she…" Eric stopped in the doorway.

"Gone," she cried. "Or dead. I don't know. Oh god," she said looking at him. "I don't even know if it's her. How do I know if it's her?"

She began digging through the remains, searching, praying, longing to find a scrap of clothing. Something to tell her if this was all that was left of her little girl.

"Stop," he said stilling her hands. "Lucy…stop. Look at me. It's not her. It's Charlotte."

"How do we know," she pled, "how can we be sure?"

"Did you feel anything?"

She looked at him.

"When your maker meet his true death," he said, "you felt it right? Like a piece of you was being broken or stripped away? It was the connection, the blood bond that exists between two vampires of the same linage. It works the same for your progeny. If she had been killed you would have felt it. Did you feel anything?"

Lucy shook her head, unable to speak anymore.

"Then she has not met her true death."

Lucy just stared into nothingness. The news should comfort her but it didn't. Where was she? Who had her? What were they doing to her? What was she doing to them? Lucy felt sick.

Jessica gasped as she came in the room. Beside her Pam's face showed a concern Lucy had never seen.

"Is it?"

"Charlotte," Eric answered. "Penny is missing."

"You don't think," Jessica started. "Do you think she could have done this?"

"No," Lucy said firmly. "She liked Charlotte, they were friends. She would never have hurt her."

"She's right," Eric said. "Besides, it's a little too much of a coincidence that she disappeared during a police raid. Someone wanted to cause a commotion so they could take the child."

"But who," Pam said. "No one knows about her but the people who work here."

"No," Lucy said. "That's not true. The delivery man from the grocery store has seen her, and the lawyer and the social worker from St. Louis. The employees at Anubis saw a child sized coffin, they could only assume a child was inside. Other than that no one but vampires and employees here know about her.

"We need to call the Queen," Eric said. "She'll have to start a full inquiry. If she's not found before sunrise she may decide to involve the human authorities. Vampire or not she is still a child and needs protecting."

Eric left, already talking on his cell phone. Pam knelt beside Lucy, who was still staring blankly at what remained of Charlotte Mason, the woman trusted with the care of her daughter. Protection was never part of the deal. She never asked Charlotte to give her life for Penny. She never expected it to come to that, but now it seems it had. Charlotte had paid the ultimate price in order to keep Penny safe.

A sting of guilt struck her. In recent weeks Lucy had found herself becoming jealous of the time Penny was spending with Charlotte. She was starting to fear that Penny would start to love the woman more than her. She realized this was selfish and petty. It was also insane. No stronger bond exists in nature than that of a vampire and it's maker. But now Charlotte was dead, really dead, and all Lucy could think of was how she wished she were alive to give them some sort of clue to who had taken Penny.

"Lucy," Pam called as if it weren't the first time she'd said it. Lucy's eyes met hers. "Come on, lets go clean you up."

Lucy allowed herself to be led to the ladies room, a room in the bar she'd never had cause to use. Pam wet a paper towel and washed the blood from her face.

"It'll be easier for you to wash your own hands," she instructed. "I'll go get you a clean shirt and see if anyone has a skirt or pants you can wear.."

Lucy looked down, noticing for the first time how much blood had gotten on her cloths. She couldn't be sure how much was from Charlotte and how much was from her own tears.

She washed her hands and stripped down to her underwear. It was the first time she could remember blood repulsing her. It was her life force, her sustenance, but now it just made her sick.

Pam returned with a Fangtasia shirt and a pair of bright pink yoga pants. "One of the human waitresses had these in her car."

Lucy thanked her and dressed.

"She'll be okay," Pam said. "She's so strong and so smart, she can protect herself."

"That's sort of what I'm afraid of."

"You did good with her," Margo said entering the bathroom. "She won't kill unless she has to. Whatever she does to protect herself will be understood. The Queen has arrived with some of her best trackers. We're going to start the search, but she needs you to help with something first."

"Anything," Lucy said hurrying out of the bathroom.

Lucy met Queen Mia outside of the office. She was standing with group of seven people. Two of them, she could smell, were some sort of shifters, though what they shifted into she was not skilled enough to tell. The remaining five were human, regulars from the bar.

"Why are they here," Lucy asked excitedly, "did they see something?"

"Not yet," the Queen said. "Lucy these are a few members of a local coven. I have asked them here to do an ectoplasmic reconstruction."

Lucy looked at them in confusion.

"It's a spell," one girl she knew as Trista said. "It will replay the last moments of someone who has died."

"Will it work for a vampire," Lucy asked. "Technically she was already dead."

"A coven leader in New Orleans has reported using the spell for both a vampire and a werewolf. Best we can tell it works on anyone until they are finally dead."

"What do I need to do?" She asked.

"Just observe," the Queen said "and tell us if you recognize the person who killed Ms. Mason."

The Witches began chanting and the air in the room began to shiver and move. Suddenly the ghostly figure of Charlotte Mason appeared sitting at the office desk. A second version of the desk appeared over the actual one.

"Wait," Lucy said. "Where is Penny? She's already gone."

"You can only see things that the person is in physical contact with," Trista said as the others continued chanting.

Charlotte was talking to someone, laughing. It must have been Penny. Charlotte's head jerked towards the door. She'd heard the commotion outside. She motioned someone to her then wrapper her arms around empty space. Penny appeared in her embrace and they ducked behind the desk.

Charlotte continued to stare at the door, covering Penny's ears. With a jump her arms flew back around Penny. Her fangs dropped. Someone was coming at them. Silently she mouthed a threat. Invisible hands pulled at Penny trying to rip her from Charlotte's grasp. Charlotte held on tightly as Penny fought against the pull. Then Penny vanished. Charlotte leapt at the invisible figure fists flying at vamp speed. In an instant she was on the floor, a net lay over her, silver Lucy guessed, though it wasn't apparent from the apparition. Then a man knelt over her, one hand closed around her throat, the other holding a wooden stake. With a firm down stroke he sunk it into her chest. The vision flickered then faded to nothingness.

Lucy stood silently, eyes wide, hands over her mouth in disbelief.

"Did you recognize him," the Queen asked.

Lucy couldn't speak.

"Ms. Bloom." Silence. "Lucy!" She met her eyes finally. "Did you recognize him?"

Lucy nodded slowly. "He was a customer a few weeks ago. He asked me for jumper cables."


	8. Let Me Go Home

**(A/N: WARNING: THIS CHAPTER INVOLVES VIOLENCE AGANST A CHILD. NOT FOR YOUNG READERS.)**

**Let Me Go Home**

Her skin burned. Bloody lines crisscrossed where the net had laid on her. Her mommy had told her that silver would hurt her, but she couldn't have imagined how much. No pain she'd ever felt compared.

She felt like she was in the hospital again. Her wig had fallen off when she fought to get away and the men had taken her Princess dress. They tossed her a plain white gown before she locked her in the room. They were humans. She could feel their hearts beating when they were near her and the sound of their breathing blared in her eyes.

She heard people talking in the hallway. She could hear bits and pieces of conversations.

"I don't understand all of the precautions, she's only a little girl." One man said.

"You'll think that when she's bleeding you dry." A second answered.

"If we feed her the fake stuff she won't need to."

"That'll ruin the plan," the second man said. "Besides I wouldn't be caught dead buying that stuff." The man chuckled, "Get it…caught dead."

The door opened. Penny scrambled to the corner, hugging her doll tightly to her body.

The men who entered were carrying little spray cans. Penny could smell the silver.

"Please," she begged. "I want my mommy. I wanna go home."

"Stand up," a big man with a shaved head ordered.

"Please," she cried. "Please I'm scared."

"Stand up." He repeated.

Penny did as she was told. She stood up, her doll hugged close to her face.

"Show your fangs."

She shook her head.

The man held up his can of sliver spray "show us your fangs!"

Reluctantly Penny lowered her doll and dropped fang.

"Should we have her wash her face," the smaller red haired man asked. "She's got those blood tears all over."

"Nah," the bigger man answered. "Blood is blood, no one will care if its hers or not."

The man took out a camera and started snapping pictures. Penny turned her face away.

"You look over here," the man said. "We need pictures of your face. Open your mouth, we have to see the fangs."

Her little body shook with sobs. Why were they doing this? She wanted to go home. She wanted her mommy to hold her.

Finally the camera flashes stopped and the men turned to leave.

"Wait," she begged. "Please just let me go home. I didn't do anything."

"Not yet you haven't," the bigger man said before slamming the door.

Penny sunk back down onto the floor and let her tears come again.

An urge rose inside her. She was hungry. She would have had three more bottles of blood by now. At the same time something tugged inside. The sun would be coming up soon. Her eyes felt heavy. Sleep, what her mommy had always called sleep, was coming on fast. Penny curled up on the cold hard floor and closed her eyes.

Penny woke with a shock, literally. A surge of electricity zapped through her jerking her out of her sleep. Assuming that the shock had come from the wall, Penny scooted out away from it.

No sooner had she closed her eyes, another shock rocked her.

About ten times Penny moved and tried to sleep only to be zapped again.

"Please," she screamed. "I'm so sleepy. What did I do?"

No answer came. Penny dared not lie down again. She stayed on her feet pacing back and forth to fight the urge to sleep.

While Jessica poured through security footage trying to find the man Lucy had met in the parking lot, the pair of shifters moved around the office.

They were werewolves, Lucy learned; Tammy Jean Keeton and her twin brother Tommy Joe. Tammy Jean picked up a long blonde wig off the floor behind the desk.

"This hers," she asked. Lucy nodded.

Tammy Jean motioned to her brother. Almost simultaneously they started removing their close. Lucy's confusion must have shown on her face because Tommy Joe said "Its easier if we're shifted, stronger noses."

The air around them seemed to quiver and ripple, then the twins with sandy blonde hair were gone and a set of light brown wolves took their place. The pair sniffed at the wig and rushed off toward the back door.

At the back door the wolf that was Tammy Jean jumped, whined and yelped. As soon as Eric opened the door the pair was off. He and Pam ran vamp speed to keep up.

Lucy started after them, but the Queen's hand stilled her.

"You need to stay here. Eric will know how to proceed with whatever he finds."

"But I…"

The Queen held up her hand, "you should be here to confirm the identity of the man on the video. Also, you are too close to this. What happens if they find the man who took her? Could you restrain yourself?"

Lucy hung her head.

"I thought not. Its best you stay behind."

For what seemed like forever Lucy watched Jessica fast forward through hours of tape. Finally she paused it. It was the night Lucy had seen the man. The video showed she and Penny walking toward the car, and then turning as if startled. The man stepped out of the shadows. Lucy's heart sank. His back was to the camera as they spoke. Then, a glimmer of hope, for a split second when he turned to walk back to his car, the camera saw his face.

"It's definitely him," the Queen said. "Same man from the ectoplasmic reconstruction. Do you recognize him at all," she asked Jessica.

"He's been by a few times. He usually sits in a corner and watches the regulars. Never caused any trouble."

"Do you know his name," her maker asked.

"Frank," Jessica said. "I don't know a last name. I remember he had a Tennessee drivers license."

Lucy sighed.

"I know it's not much," the Queen said. "But it's more than we had."

As if by magic Eric and Pam appeared in the room.

"Anything," the Lucy begged.

Eric nodded. "They tracked the scent to a little trail just past the tree line. Looks like they took some sort of ATV or something from that point. They took her down the trail about a mile to where it meets the main road again. I guess the loaded her in a car there because that's where the trail stopped."

Lucy fell to her knees. She really was gone. The trail was cold.

"We found something else," he assured her. "The area where the ATV's met the other vehicle, there was some trash on the ground. It was probably knocked out from Penny struggling."

Pam stepped forward with a pile of paper.

"It's mostly receipts, local gas station and restaurants. But there was also this," she held up a brochure.

Lucy grabbed it.

Fellowship of the Sun

We are the Light

The pamphlet was filled with the same anti-vampire propaganda the fellowship spewed on its Sunday morning telecasts. A picture of a pretty little blonde girl bore the captions "To a vampire, she is a midnight snack." Descriptions of missing persons, all of whom had last been seen in a vampire related area, suggested savage killings being preferable to the alternative. "Dead is better than Undead" one mother was quoted as saying.

The back page had a schedule of services and seminars.

Service each Sunday at 10am.

From Darkness Into Light: The truth about the blasphemous undead. 6/17

Fight the Night: Introduction to the Light of Day Institute. 8/13

Evil Unveiled: A look at the new face of vampires in America. 11/4

It also gave the churches address.

1015 Lewisburg Highway

Fayetteville, TN

"Tennessee again," the Queen said. "Guess I'll be giving Allaster a call."


	9. Do You Believe In God

**(A/N: By request I wrote this one rather quickly. LBJ couldn't stand the cliffhanger. Hope you enjoy. )**

**Do You Believe In God**

In a flash the Queen had dialed her phone. "Queen Amelia Hanover calling for His Majesty," she said with authority. Then her tone changed. "Allaster," she cooed, voice so sweet it dripped with honey. "How are you darling?" She listened for a moment, allowing the man to answer. "Not good I'm afraid. There was a disturbance in my club this evening and a young vampire was kidnapped." A pause. "Yes, the poor things maker is beside herself. The child is only five." The Queen laughed slightly, "no darling, five _human_ years." The voice on the phone seemed surprised. "Yes, it is a special circumstance. The reason I am calling, darling is that we found some evidence that kidnapper is from your area." The Queen held up her finger in a 'hold on' gesture and left the room for more privacy.

"How are you holding up," Eric asked genuinely concerned.

"It's agony, all this waiting." Lucy said. "I feel like I should be doing something. My head is just screaming 'why are you just standing there, go find her.'"

"You're doing all you can do," he said. "We have a start. We will find her."

It was touching, Lucy thought, seeing how much Eric cared about Penny. She wondered if he'd had children in his human life.

"We have clearance to enter Tennessee." The Queen said re-entering the room. "I have convened a search group. Lucy, go home and pack. Be at the Anubis gate at 4:00. A travel coffin will be provided."

Without a word Lucy did as she was told.

Penny swayed on her feet. She had never been away after sunrise before. She wasn't sure exactly what time it was, but her body told her the sun had been up a while. Sometimes she would close her eyes for a moment, only to have her bare feet shocked.

She cried until her tears seemed to dry up.

After a few hours her body began to hurt. Her ears throbbed and her head spun. She felt a fresh trickle of blood run down her face. Bringing her hand up, she found she was bleeding from her nose. Moments later a similar trickle came from her left ear, followed by her right. Before long she began to cough, the taste of blood filled her mouth.

The bleeds, she remembered. Her mommy had told her this is what happened to vampires who didn't sleep during the day. How long would it last? Would she continue to bleed until she'd lost all of her blood? Would she die then? She'd never heard of a vampire bleeding to death, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen.

Her day continued like that. No one entered her room. No one talked in the hallway. As far as she could tell she was alone. She tried the door and received a shock. She leaned against the wall, another shock. No mater what she did, she could not rest or escape.

After what seemed like eternity the pain in her body eased and her exhaustion passed. The sun was setting. Suddenly footsteps sounded in the hall, like someone walking down metal stairs. Then the handle to the door clicked and turned.

The big man from the night before stepped in. He threw a clean gown and wet towel at her. "Clean up and change cloths." Then he turned and left.

Afraid she'd be shocked again she obeyed.

She stood there in her clean white gown, waiting, wondering. What was happening? Why was she here? Why had they kept her awake and unfed all night? Why did she have to be clean now?

As if in answer to her question, the doorknob turned a second time. This time a man in a tan suit entered. He looked like a weatherman. His face was tanned, his hair was perfectly quaffed, and his smile radiated with bright white teeth.

"Do you know who I am," the man asked.

Penny shook her head.

"Do you know where you are?"

Another no.

"Do you believe in God?"

This time she nodded.

"You do," the man said in disbelief.

"He saved me," she said in a weak voice. "I was dying and he sent my mommy to save me."

"You think that was God," he tutted.

"Who else," she asked confused.

"Satan," he said calmly. "It was Satan that created your blasphemous breed, it was Satan that brought them into the public eye, and it was certainly Satan that led on of those demons to murder a five year old girl."

"But I wasn't murdered," she protested. "I was saved. I'm alive because of her."

"You're not alive, you're undead," he preached. "You have no heartbeat. You do not breath. You are death walking."

Penny huffed. She'd heard this sort of talk before, usually on TV for a minute or two before her mommy changed the channel.

"Who are you?" She asked finally. "Why am I here?"

"I am Reverend David Newlin," he said. "You are here to save your soul."

"I don't understand."

"You will," he said, "in time, but for now, you must be hungry." He knocked on the door and it opened.

In stepped a woman dressed in black leather. She looked like the girls Penny had seen at the club making big eyes at the vampire boys. Her skin was pale and her makeup was thick around her warm brown eyes. Her black hair was up in tight little buns all over.

She walked funny, Penny noticed. Like she'd had too much to drink or not enough sleep. The big man from earlier grabbed her arm to steady her and led her into the room, then dropped her on the cold floor next to Penny.

"What's going on," Penny asked. "Why is she here?"

"She's your dinner," the Reverend said. "Aren't you hungry."

Penny's fangs had dropped. Her hunger had risen the moment the first human had entered the room.

"No," Penny said. "I don't feed on people."

"You don't?"

"Never. I drink bottled blood."

"You've never had human blood?"

"No."

"I don't mind," the girl said dazedly. "I've been bitten before."

Penny shook her head. "I won't do it."

"Then you'll starve," the Reverend said coldly. "I wonder how long it will take? We'll leave her here," he said. "Incase you change your mind."

He slammed the door behind him.

Penny banged her fists against the cold metal.

"I won't do it!" She yelled. "You'll never get me to."

"I don't have anything," the girls said. "If that's what you're worried about."

"You don't want me to drink from you," Penny said with a tone beyond her years. "You'd be dead before I knew what I'd done."

The girl leaned against the wall and drifted off to sleep. Feeling she could risk it Penny sat down too.

"Do you think she'll do it," a voice said in the hall.

"She will," the Reverend said. "Don't let her looks fool you. She's a monster like the rest of them. She'll kill that girl before the sunsets and we'll have it on tape."

Tape, Penny thought. She looked around and finally noticed a little black dome in each corner of the ceiling. They were setting her up. They wanted her to kill. They wanted to record it. They wanted to prove that she was a monster. Her resolve stiffened. She would not drink from this girl not mater what. She would fight the urge as long as it took for her mommy to find her.

Her mommy was looking for her. She wasn't sure now, but she knew it. A few times the night before she'd felt a pull at her center and suddenly she was think of her. She knew she was looking, calling, doing all she could to get to her. She just had to be strong for a little longer. Her mommy would save her again.


	10. Why

**(A/N: This one is a little shorter than the others, but if I keep going it'll get too long. Enjoy)**

**Why**

Lucy woke in a strange barrowed coffin, in an unfamiliar room. Her cloths had been unpacked and placed in drawers; Penny's clothes nestled right next to them. She had packed for Penny, unable to think about coming home with out her. The Queen obviously shared her optimism. A small coffin sat on the opposite wall of the room.

Lucy ran her hands over the smooth lid. She felt the tears welling up inside her once more. She shook herself, determined not to lose it again. She was going to be strong and find her daughter. Penny needed her; she had to hold on to that.

There was a knock at the door. A young human man, probably in his early twenties, was waiting on the other side.

"They're waiting for you downstairs in the sitting room," he said. "Please come down as soon as you're ready."

She thanked him, and then hurried to get dressed.

When she got downstairs she understood how seriously Penny's kidnapping had been taken. The Queen's search team was made up of five vampires (including Eric), the werewolf twins, a third were, and two humans she didn't recognize.

"Ah," said the Queen. "Here she is. Shall we begin? Lucy, this is Karina Jackson, an Enforcer from area 1, Winston Samuels from area 2, Julius Russo from area 4, and Vera Chirkoff from area 5. Sheriff Northman has volunteered to represent our area in the search effort. You've met the twins of course; the leader of the Grey Tail Pack back home was kind enough to spear them. This is Gavin Nickels, on loan from the Sharp Paw Clan out of Chattanooga. And these brave souls," she said motioning to the humans, "are Stuart Kreiger and his wife Elena. They have infiltrated the Fellowship Church here in Fayetteville."

Stuart Kreiger was an average sized man with red hair and freckles. He wore a sweater and khakis and looked like the last man you'd expect to see conspiring with vampires. Elena was olive skinned, with long black hair and rich brown eyes. She wore a knitted green top and black slacks. They made and unlikely couple, but who was Lucy to judge love.

"Why," Lucy said. "Not that I'm ungrateful for you help, but why did two human's infiltrate an anti-vampire church?"

"Our son is a were," Elena said.

"Your son," Lucy said. "How?"

"We adopted him when he was a baby," Stuart added. "A couple years ago he started acting strange. One night he disappeared from his bedroom. We found him naked in the woods the next morning."

"At first we were terrified, but we didn't know what to do. As luck would have it one of his teachers at school was two-natured. She could smell it on him once the change started. She called us in and explained everything."

"He's only 11," Stuart continued. "The way we see it, a church that hates vampires is just as likely to hate weres if and when they decide to make themselves known. We'd like to put a stop to this before it effects Marshall."

"Much of our plan," the Queen said, " is based on the information gathered by the Kreigers."

"They are keeping your daughter in a holding cell in the basement of the church. She is guarded by at least one person at all times."

"Stuart is one of those guards."

Lucy's stomach jumped.

"Have you seen her? What are they doing to her? How is she?"

"I've seen her once in person," he said. "When they first brought her in they wanted to take some photos for some sort of powerpoint slide show. She was scared and had been crying. Her skin was a little burned from the silver chains they'd brought her in, but she was ok."

"What about now," Lucy begged.

"It's best we not get into that," the Queen said. "Tell them about Friday, Mr. Kreiger."

"Right," he said. "Friday night there is a seminar, "Evil Unveiled…"

"A look at the new face of vampires in America," Lucy finished, "it was on the pamphlet."

He nodded. "Your daughter is the evil they plan to unveil."

Penny rocked back and forth, turning her head away from the black haired girl asleep against the wall. She began to sing to herself, trying anything she can to distract herself.

The sleeping girl started to moan and stir.

"Where am I," she said finally. "What's going on?"

"I don't know where we are, some kind of church or something. " Penny said. "You came here to let me feed on you."

"I came here," she said confused. "I don't remember anything. I was at a bar then I blacked out."

She struggled to her feet and stumbled to the door.

"Don't," Penny said too late. The girl screamed as the shock raced through her body.

"You can't get out," Penny added. "We're prisoners here."

"If you're a prisoner," the girl asked. "Why would they bring you a donor?

"They're trying to make me to be bad," she said sounding like the child she was for the first time. "They want me to feed on you so that I'll lose control and kill you. They want to video tape it."

"Make you," the girls said retreating. "So you don't want to bite me?"

"I want to," the child said, voice full of hunger. "But I'm not going to."

"Why not," the girls said not believing her.

"My mommy taught me not to," was the only answer Penny gave.

"What's your name," the girl asked when she couldn't handle the silence.

"Penny. What's yours?"

"Summer," the girl answered.

They talked a little, Penny rocking all the while, keeping her distance from Summer. She told her what little she knew.

"Fellowship of the Sun," Summer said.

"What?"

"That's where we are. David Newlin is the leader of the Fellowship of the Sun. He took over when his brother disappeared. And he was only in charge because their father died in a car accident. We're probably in the big church in Fayetteville. Shadowland, the bar I was at, is in Lynchburg. It's only about 20 minutes from Fayetteville."

"What is Fellowship of the Sun," Penny asked.

"They call themselves a church," Summer said. "But they're more about politic than anything else. They're hardcore anti-vampire."

"What do you think they're gonna do with me? There as to be a reason other than the tape."

Summer shrugged. "Whatever they have planned," the girl said. "It's not good."


	11. Plan B

**(A/N: I'm on a roll tonight. Hope you like it.)**

**Plan B**

"What," was the only thing Lucy could get out.

Stuart sighed. "They're starving her." He said. "They won't give her any synthetic blood and depriving her of sleep. They plan to put a human in with her and video her feeding on her. Their hope is that she will kill her."

Lucy felt sick. This was worse than she'd imagined. Being recorded while feeding is a punishable offence. Even if they could free her, the child would have to face those charges.

"What if she won't feed," Eric asked. "What if she refuses?"

"Then they go to plan B, which I'm afraid to say is much worse."

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"If she won't feed," Stuart said, "they'll bring her out during the seminar and bait her. They'll do anything they can to make sure she feeds."

"I don't understand," Lucy said. "How did they even find her?"

"Word around the church is," Elena said. "One of the child's nurses in St. Louis is a member of the fellowship. She told her local congregation what she heard at the hospital and word traveled. It was decided that the nearest congregation would take action to bring the _abomination_ to light."

"Then what," Lucy asked. "They can't just let her go after all this. What do they plan to do with her after bring her to light?" Elena hung her head. "No!" Lucy screamed. "You mean literally! They are going to make her meet the sun!" Lucy stood, not knowing how to channel all of her anger and pain. "We have to go. Why are we waiting? We have to go and get her."

"Keep calm," the Queen said taking Lucy's hand. "We have a plan."

"I'm on guard from sunrise to midday tomorrow," Stuart said, "alone. I'll take some true blood in my thermos. If anyone asks I'll say its tomato soup. If I think I can do it safely, I'll slip her some. That should bring up her strength. I've volunteered for night shift Friday before the seminar, hopefully we can free her before everything starts."

Penny's body told her it was well past dawn. Reverend Newlin had come and gone twice, angry both times to see Summer still alive. After his second visit the noises in the hall seemed to die down.

Summer leaned against the wall sleeping. Hoping for a break, Penny settled down to rest herself. At that moment the lights in the room dimmed, then surged, and then went out altogether.

The doorknob clicked and the door opened. Penny recoiled into the corner as, by the dim glow of the emergency lights, she saw the red haired man from before enter.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't believe you," she replied. "You're one of them."

"I understand why you think that, but I'm not really. My name is Stuart. I know your mother. Her name is Lucy. She and the Queen and Eric are here to save you."

Penny's face lit up. "But it's daylight. They can't be here now."

"Not yet," he corrected. "But they're close by. Here," he said offering her the thermos, "it's a little cold but it should make you feel better." Penny drained the entire thermos in a few large gulps.

He looked walked to the sleeping girl in against the wall and knelt as if he were about to touch her.

"She's alive," Penny stated. "Please tell my mommy I didn't drink. I won't do it not matter what they do."

"Good girl," Stuart said. "She'll be proud. Now get some sleep…the power will be out for an hour or more so you should be able to rest a little."

Penny wrapped her arms around the mans waist, "Thank you."

Stuart walked out into the call and dialed his cell phone.

"Gavin," he said. "Yep, mission accomplished. Keep it off as long as you can, the girl needs some sleep."

Footsteps neared as he hung up the phone.

"Damn it," Reverent Newlin said. "Out down here too?"

"Yeah," Stuart answered. "I was waiting for backup before I opened up to chick on her."

"Go ahead."

Stuart opened the door. Penny lie curled up in the middle of the floor, eye closed, dead to the world. Summer still slept against the wall.

"Check the girl for bite marks and a pulse."

"Still alive," he said. "No marks."

"Damn it." Newlin said again. "Oh well. Guess there is no way to keep her away now, unless you know where we can get a cattle prod."

"No sir, Reverend. Can't say as I do."

"Well, just make sure you give her a good shock as soon as the powers back on and keep that door locked."

"Yes sir," Stuart said.

It was more than three hours later before Stuart was force to turn on the electric shock.

Lucy paced, anxiously awaiting the Kreigers' arrival. When their car approached Lucy ran vamp speed to meet them at the door.

"Did you see her," she begged. "How is she?"

"I saw her." Stuart said smiling. "She's fine. Better than anyone expected. Come on and I'll tell everyone at once."

In the sitting room Stuart filled the group in on the days news. He'd been able to slip Penny the Tru Blood. He'd verified that the human girl was still alive and that Penny was resolved not to feed on her. And, with the help of Gavin and a buddy at the TVA he was able to give her three hours of sleep.

Lucy's eyes welled up. She couldn't have been more proud of her little girl. Penny was holding strong. She was going to make it.

"I'm also on duty the night of the seminar," he said. "Since she refused to feed on the girl, they'll go ahead with plan B."

"That means we'll go forward with our plan," the Queen said.

It turned out that Elena had been asked to assist with the seminar as well. Reverend Newlin seemed to think that Penny looked too sweet in her current state and had asked for a group of volunteers to dress her for the part.

Bit by bit the pieces fell together and as Lucy went to ground the morning of the 4th she knew she would hold her daughter that night, or meet her true death trying.


	12. So Far So Good

**(A/N: I know LBJ is gonna kill me for how this one ends, but hope you enjoy it anyway.)**

**So Far So Good**

Penny hoped to see the red haired man again, but when he finally entered he was with Reverend Newlin. The Reverend cursed when Summer stood up and held Penny's hand. Angry, he told Stuart to bring the girls upstairs.

Letting the Reverend leave the room, Stuart approached the pair.

"This is going to hurt," he said holding out silver cuffs, "but I have to do it."

"I understand," Penny said, hissing as the silver touched her skin. "Is my mommy here yet?"

"Not yet. She said she'd signal you when she's here. Do you know what that means?"

Penny nodded.

"Eric said to be strong and if it comes to it, just concentrate. He said you'd know why?"

Penny smiled. 'I do."

"Ok. I'm going to take you upstairs to get ready. In the dressing room there is a woman named Elena. She will be wearing a purple dress. She is my wife, she's helping too, understand."

Both girls nodded.

The moon shined brightly outside as they walked up the stairs. Four women waited in a small room marked Bridal Suit. The woman in the purple dress removed Penny's gown and replaced it with a black dress covered in little metal spikes. Allowing her hand to brush the child's face Elena finally caught Penny's eyes. She gave the girl a wink and a quick smile.

A second woman applied dark makeup to Penny's eyes, like Summer was wearing.

Penny looked for Summer. Her face was being washed and her tight buns undone into soft flowing curls. They removed her black leather clothing and dressed her in a long white gown. In the end the two had switched places, Penny's outfit topped off with a short black wig.

As they fit the wig snuggly on her baldhead Penny felt a familiar tug at her center. She couldn't help but smile. Her mommy was close.

Fully dressed Penny's cuffs were put back on and she was lead down a small hallway to a door. She could hear a large crowd chattering on the other side. She felt the fear returning and wished she could hold Summer's hand.

The teams were in place more than an hour before the seminar was supposed to start. Eric, Gavin, and the enforcer from area 1 took the roof, keeping watch at the large skylight over the main sanctuary. It was sickening to think of the purpose for it. The Queen, Tommy Joe and the enforcer from 2 took the front door, ready to work their way forward if need be. Meanwhile, Lucy, Tammy Jean and the remaining enforcers took the rear entrance. Stuart was supposed to leave a series of doors open, a direct path to the suit where Penny was being prepared.

The first two doors were unlocked and unguarded as planned. The four wound their way through a labyrinth of beige colored hallways. When they neared the third door Vera held up her hand, halting the others.

"Human," she said quietly, "male by the smell of him. Allow me." Lucy reached to stop her. "No killing unless necessary," Vera said, allowing a slight accident out. "I remember."

Vera sauntered around the corner.

"Excuse me," she said putting on a southern drawl, "I got a little lost on my way back from the ladies room. Could you direct me to the sanctuary?"

"Sure thing miss," the man said. "Right through this door, then follow the signs."

Keys started to jingle as he unlocked the door.

"My friends are coming too," she said her voice growing deep and soothing.

"Okay."

The others hurried around the corner.

"You didn't see us," she said. "You're going to lock this door behind us and go about your business, got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

As the door clicked behind them they moved forward once again. They saw no one else until they came to a door marked "Bridal Suit." Stuart stood outside. He motioned for them to stop where they were and knocked on the door.

"Everyone decent," he said poking his head in. "Can I borrow Elena for a minute?"

Elena stepped out.

"There are three others," she whispered. "Are you read?" Lucy, Julius, and Vera nodded, pulling plastic zip ties out of their pockets. She opened the door, a huge smile on her face. "Oh my goodness," she squealed. "Ladies come out here, you've got to see what Stuart just brought me."

The ladies poured into the hallway expecting to see some sparkling piece of jewelry or another equally impressive love trinket. But they saw nothing. Faster than their human eyes could catch the three vampires bound, gagged and blindfolded the three women. They were carried back into the bridal suit and placed in the bathroom.

"So?" Elena questioned.

"So far so good," Tammy Jean said. "All this way with no injuries on either side."

"Good," she smiled. "They've got her on the other side of this door."

The Reverends sermon played over the speakers in the room. He was babbling on about the sanctity of family, how vampire human marriage and the right of vampires to adopt humans would surely lead to the disintegration of the American Family.

"Vampires have no regard for human life. They murdered my father, his wife, and their infant child. The good lord only knows what they've done to my brother. There is nothing sacred to these creatures, not even something as precious as a child. In the book of Matthew, chapter 18, the disciples asked our savior, 'Lord, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' The son of God himself picked up a child, placed it on his lap and said 'Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' The greatest in heaven, so precious are children in the eyes of our Lord and Savior that they are named the greatest in heaven. Now don't you think that makes them worthy of our protection?" The congregation applauded.

Using the noise as a cover, Stuart slowly opened the door. Penny and Summer stood alone in the hallway. Stuart stepped closer, reaching for the key in his pocket. Lucy stepped forward to enter the room only to be pushed back. The guard had returned from checking a noise.

"What are you doing here," the man said.

"Shhhh," Stuart said, "wanted to hear the sermon better."

"Amen," Reverend Newlin continued. "Amen. Our protection, our assurance that they would be brought up in a safe, loving, godly home. But our country doesn't seem to share our Lords regard for children. No," he said forcefully, "our country sees fit to let the earth bound children of Satan adopt our children." There were noises of disapproval. "I know, I know. Our children, our precious, precious children offered up like Hors d'oeuvres to their monstrous appetites. To a vampire, a child is one of two things. They are food," he said, "sources say that in the so called dark days of vampire history, vampires would wipe out entire villages. Men, women, children; slaughtered, drained, murdered. They would pass it off as a plague or an epidemic. I suppose they were right, it was a plague. A plague of evil sent by Satan himself."

The guard's earpiece chattered and he motioned that he'd be right back. Stuart quickly pulled the key out of his pocket and went for the handcuffs at Penny's wrists. The silver had cut into her and caked the locks with blood.

"What could be worse than that," the Reverend asked. "What could be worse than having your child murdered for their blood? Do you want to see?" The congregation cheered. "Do you want to see?" Stuart was running out of time, he pulled the girls towards the door. "I'll show you. This is the other reason vampires want your children." The door flew open just as Stuart's hand reached the knob. Two sets of hands grabbed Penny, another grabbed Summer. Panic set in, Stuart had failed. It was too late.


	13. Take Me

**(A/N: I couldn't leave it at that…I had to finish another one tonight. Hope you like it. WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS IMAGES OF BLOOD, GORE, AND VIOLENCE. NOT SUITABLE FOR CERTAIN READERS.)**

**Take Me**

The Queen stamped her foot in frustration as Reverend Newlin's cronies pulled Penny and a human girl out onto the stage. She was dressed the part for the evil monster, solid black clothing, dark makeup caked around her eyes, a pitch-black wig on top of her usually bald head.

The whole congregation was on its feet, straining to get a better look.

"Alright gentlemen," she said with a sigh, "guess its time to move."

They spread through the crowd working their way forward. Tommy Joe lost his momentum about half way up, unable to move any closure through the tightly packed crowd.

Winston made it further but was still stopped short. The Queen, however, faired better. With a touch of her hand and a little eye contact she had made her way to the very front pew. When the crowd calmed and retook their seats, she was sitting a mere 15 feet from the Reverend and his captives.

The men put Penny and the human in a cage. The Queen assumed it was made of silver. It had no top, this was good. They under estimated the prowess of vampires. The Queen looked up to the skylight. Eric and his team were already working at prying a glass panel out.

"Brothers and Sisters," the Reverend said silencing the crowd, "Brothers and Sisters, calm yourselves. I know you are confused but let me assure you this _thing_ is no longer a child. She was once," he continued. "She was once a beautiful five year old girl with her entire life before her until…until the day the state of Missouri allowed her to be adopted by a vampire. Her life ended that very night. Within hours of taking her in the cold-hearted beast drained her of her blood, force-fed her the poison running through her own veins, and buried her in the cold dark ground. That should have been the end of it. For the Bible says that from earth we came and to earth we shall return, but the child's body rose from the earth, a soul-less shell of her former self."

The crowd gasped collectively, giving Eric's team cover, the panel was removed.

"She now craves human blood to live and will take it indiscriminately."

The Reverend stepped away from his microphone and looked at Penny.

"Feed," he commanded.

"Never."

"Feed or you'll learn the true meaning of death."

"You'll never make me."

One of the guards entered the cage, a knife shining in his hand. He grabbed Summer's restraints and cut them away, slashing her wrists in the process.

She let out a scream of pain as crimson flowed from her wounds.

"Worry not," the Reverend said as the congregation shrieked in horror. "This woman is not innocent. She is a known associate of the soul-less. We found her in a den of iniquity, offering her self up to any who would feed on her."

Penny ran to Summer, struggling with her cuffs to clamp her hands down on the girls wounds.

"Please," she begged, "please don't do this. She'll die. Help her."

"FEED!" The Reverend demanded.

"NO!"

The man with the knife grabbed Summer from behind and slashed her across the throat. She fell, her blood covering Penny.

"Please!" She cried. "Please help her. Please!"

Unable take anymore Lucy ran vamp speed out onto the stage and grabbed at the silver bars of the cage, hands sizzling instantly.

"Please," Lucy begged. "Please free them. Take me. Take me."

Men began to surround Lucy, weapons in hand.

"It's my fault, I changed her. Let them go! Take me"

The other's joined her warding off the guards.

"We don't want any trouble," Julius said. "Free the child and we will leave"

"You're not going anywhere, Fanger." One guard said.

"We do not want any bloodshed here," Julius continued. "Just free the…" 

A shot rang out and a bullet pierced Julius on his upper left side. In an instant he melted away into a puddle of gore. That moment the Queen and her team leapt forward, while Eric and his team descended.

Eric flew directly into the gage. The guard ran, slamming the door behind him.

"Help her Eric," Penny cried. "Please don't let her die."

Eric bit his wrist and brought it to the girl's lips.

"Drink," he told her, but she didn't move.

"Drink Summer," Penny begged. "It will make you better, please drink."

Slowly the girl's lips closed around the wound and began to suck. Penny watched as the gash across her throat started to close and the color returned to her face. Finally the girl let go of Eric's wrist and gasped for air.

Crying, she threw her arms around Eric in relief.

"Are you strong enough," He said looking at Penny.

She nodded.

"Ok," he said. "Just focus, you can do this."

Together they rose out of the gage and towards the opening in the ceiling.

Below the sanctuary had erupted in chaos. Most of the congregation was racing for the exits while the truly faithful surrounded the vampires. Vera's arm bled and burned from the cut of a sliver blade. Winston threw the podium at a group of approaching men, pinning them down. They never killed unless they had to, but this wouldn't look good no matter how it ended. There would be human deaths, the fellowship would take that and run with it.

As Penny and Eric reached the ceiling Penny grabbed at her middle as if she'd been shot. Looking down there was not sign of wound. No blood, no mark, she was whole. Her eyes fell to the mayhem below and found the source of her pain.

Lucy lay on the floor with Reverend Newlin crouched on top of her, a silver knife protruding from her stomach.

"NO!" Penny yelled, leaping from the skylight.

Eric's hand moved to stop her, but he only grabbed her wig.

Penny landed with force on Newlin's back and threw him aside. Lightening fast she was over him, the silver blade burning in her hand. She stared down at him, eyes wild and furious. She drew back her hand, preparing to strike.

A hand closed around her wrist.

"No," Lucy said weakly, "He's not worth it."

"He stabbed you," Penny said shaking with anger.

"I'll live," she replied. "Don't let him take who you are. I am so proud of you for what you've done. You have resisted temptation that no vampire could. You are good. Don't give him your goodness."

Penny looked up. The whole congregation had stopped and was now watching them. The room had fallen silent.

"You see this," she said pointing at Reverend Newlin. "_This_ is a monster. _I_ am a little girl. _This_ is my mother," she said motioning to Lucy. "She taught me not to feed on humans. She taught me goodness and mercy. We are not the monsters" she threw the knife down, "you are."

Without another word Penny wrapped her arms around her mother and helped her down the stairs towards the rear exit. Tommy Joe limped, leaning on his sister's arm. Vera's cut was already healing, as were the wounds the others had received. The crowd parted, allowing the vampires and their seemingly human companions to leave.


	14. I Promise

**(A/N: I've been called a sadist for the things I do to my characters. This chapter was written at the muse's request that her character "suffer more". I guess that makes her a masochist. What can I say? Misery loves company. Hope you all in enjoy.)**

**I Promise**

The wound at Lucy's middle burned and ached. It had closed up on the outside but the silver was already circulating in her veins. She felt dizzy and weak. Lights and faces swirled around her as she was carried from the car to a bed. By the time her head hit the pillow her body told her that it was near sunrise. She fell into a feverish, restless sleep.

Time flew by in an endless parade of light and sound and pain. In her light-tight room Lucy lost track of night and day. Some times she felt arms around her and smelled someone of her own blood lying next to her. It was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. Had they made it in time to save Penny? Was she really their beside her? Was she in a safe place with friends or was she in the clutches of the fellowship herself? 

When she finally woke the moon was shining in her window. It was almost full. It had just reached its half on the night they infiltrated the fellowship church. Her body had not changed in that time. She'd woken to the same burning, the same pain. It had spread over her entire midsection, up into her chest. The poison was spreading. She felt someone holding her hand and opened her eyes to see it was Penny. The child sat quietly as a ballet of people moved around her.

"Pen," she whispered.

"I'm here mommy."

"Where are we? How long have I been asleep?"

"We're at a safe house, Eric and the Queen brought us here so the fellowship couldn't find us. We've been here three days."

"What's going on," she said weakly.

"Shhhh," Penny said. "You need to rest. You're sick, silver poisoning. They're gonna make you better."

"They who?"

"Other vampires," Penny said, "and a few others who aren't human but aren't vampires. Weres, I think. They said they have to get the silver out. Just stay still, they'll start soon."

The bed sank, announcing someone else's presence.

"You shouldn't be here," Eric's voice said softly. "You don't need to see this."

"I'm not leaving her," Penny said.

"Pen," Lucy called. "Do as Eric says. He knows what he's doing. I'll be fine."

Penny kissed her cheek then stood up.

"If anything happens to her I'll feel it," Penny said half way between a statement and a question.

"Yes you will," Eric replied.

"Make sure there is nothing for me to feel."

"I promise," he said kindly. "We will heal your mother."

Eric too received a kiss.

As she left, Lucy could see red tears through the haze in her eyes.

"If anything does happen," Lucy said. "I want you to take her."

"Lucy," he started.

"Eric I'm serious. I know what silver poisoning can do to us. If you can't get it all...If I meet my true death…I want you and Pam to take her. You're the only ones I'd trust to keep her safe. Promise me."

"I promise," he said, "but it won't come to that. She'll be back in your arms soon and you'll go home together."

"We're ready," a voice called from the other side of the bed.

Lucy turned and saw a tall, dark man, with long black hair. In her daze Lucy couldn't make out his face, but she sensed that Penny had been right, he was neither vampire, nor human. He smelled different. Not a were, not a shifter. Lucy thought maybe some sort of Fea. Not a Fairy, surely, but something. Lucy had never met a Fea so she would never be able to tell a Brownie from an Elf or a Sprite.

"What are you going to do," Lucy whispered.

"We have to drain the poison out," Eric said. "And replace it with healthy blood."

"You can't drink it," she said. "You'll be poisoned too."

"We have to do it the human way," he replied. "With tubes and needles. You'll be weak, but don't worry we're here to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Lucy nodded.

"Who's blood am I getting? Not a human."

"No," Eric insisted. "It wouldn't be strong enough. There are some weres here who are willing to donate, some vampires too, to replace your healing enzyme."

She winced as the needle entered her skin. Over the next few hours she drifted in and out. Noises and visions morphed together into frightening nightmares. When a voice told her it was time to drink she was too weak the drop fang. She heard the telltale sound of fangs piercing skin and assumed that Eric had done what she couldn't. Then a flood of warm blood trickled over her lips and into her mouth. She closed her mouth over the skin and drank. When the second donor came he too had to be bitten by someone else. It wasn't until much farther down that line, the fourth or fifth by Lucy's count, that she was able to produce her own fangs. This entire time the dark man watched. He called each of the donors up in turn and told Lucy to stop when she'd reached her limit on each. He was the doctor, Lucy guessed. He'd heard there were doctors for the differently natured, but she'd never had a reason to go to one. In total she drank from seven weres, followed by three vampires, one of which being Eric. As she released her hold on Eric's wrist the bite had already started to heal.

The doctor stepped forward and sat on the bed. Without asking permission he lifted Lucy's shirt, exposing her stomach. Lines of gray and purple covered her stomach like a web. She cringed.

"This is actually an improvement," he assured her. "The poison is gone and the new blood is taking its effect. May I," he asked reaching towards her face. He lifted her upper lip exposing her fangs. "Color is returning to your gums nicely. Can you retract your fangs at will?" She flexed a muscle, admittedly with some effort, and her fangs vanished. "Very good. You should mend quite nicely. No lasting effects from the injury that I can imagine."

Lucy sat up quickly, causing a stabbing pain at her middle.

"Easy now," he warned. "I said you should mend, not that you are mended. You need to take it easy for a little while."

"When can we go home?"

"We? Oh, you and the child. Not for another week I would think. You are too weak to travel and the child is recovering from sleep deprivation and starvation. She would heal faster, but she refuses real blood. The synthetic will take longer. Simply put, you're both too sick to be any help to each other. You need to be with others who can protect you, see that you're properly fed." 

"That place is here," Eric said. "They'll be cared for as long as they need to be."

"Good. Ms. Bloom is to stay in bed until tomorrow night. She's had enough to drink for now but a day of rest should be enough to jumpstart things. Tomorrow, if you take it easy, you may walk around but nothing strenuous. The child should drink once every hour while she is awake. Every three if you can get her to take the real thing. Make sure she sleeps through the night; the cleaning staff said there was a mess in here this morning again. That's almost a week straight without proper rest. If all of these steps are followed the two of you may leave when the marks on your stomach have completely healed. It should be a few days."

"Thank you," Lucy said. "I'll do everything you said, I promise."

He nodded and left.

Penny ran in the door before it could close.

"Are you okay?" she said crying. "Did it work?"

"It worked," Lucy said kissing her forehead.

"I was so scared. I thought you were going to die."

"I'm fine. I'm going to be fine." 

"You both are," Eric said. "but you have to do what the Doctor says. You have to sleep when you're told," he told Penny. "And drink when they tell you."

"I won't drink human blood," she said indignantly.

"I'm not asking you to," he assured. "You can drink Tru Blood, you just have to drink more of it. One bottle an hour while you're awake. Understand?"

Penny nodded.

"I'll leave you to alone then," he said standing. "You have a lot of time to make up. I'll see you back in Alabama."

"You're leaving?" Penny said jumping up. "Really leaving?"

"I have to. Pam can't be trusted to run things any longer than a week or so. I'll see you soon," he said rubbing the girls bald head. "I'll bring you a present when I come, I promise."

He hugged her and kissed her cheek. Then he took Lucy's hand and gave it a squeeze.

She wanted to say something to him. Something to express how much she appreciated everything he'd done for her, for Penny. Somehow 'thank you' just didn't cover it.

"Eric," she started, but he shook his head.

"Don't mention it. Just take care of each other."

Eric closed the door behind him, leaving only Lucy and Penny in the room.

The child moved from window to window closing the curtains and the shutters until the room was light tight, then returned to Lucy's side. She snuggled closer as her mother's arms draped around her and, though the moon still shown brightly through the window, they drifted off to sleep.


	15. Poster Child

**(A/N: Thank you to all of you who are reading this. I hope you've been enjoying it. Thank you to those who have helped out too. Sorry it took so long to finish.)**

**Poster Child**

When Lucy and Penny returned home the next week their bodies were completely healed. Lucy not longer walked gingerly or grew weary as easily and Penny was back on a normal feeding schedule.

Within days of their return deliveries came in regular intervals. Flowers; flowers from the staff of Fangtasia, the Queen, the Fea doctor, and dozens of other people she didn't remember meeting. Then there were the letters. About a week after coming home two bags of letters were dropped at her door. Lucy was afraid at the presence of the letter. Letters meant that someone had their address. That meant they could find them again. But curiosity got the better of her and she began to open them. The letters, it turned out, were forwarded to her from the American Vampire League. They bulk of them were from infiltrators within the fellowship. Weres and other two natured who wanted to offer their apologies for not being able to help that night and who prayed that "the vampire woman and her child" were well. Other letters were from vampires who had heard, in one way or another, about the ordeal and wanted to offer help. There were checks to pay for relocation or updated security, toys and cloths for Penny. One letter even came from the CEO of the company that produced Tru Blood. He thanked the pair for their support of the mainstreaming movement and gave them a gift card for a year's supply of Tru Blood.

Lucy was amazed at all of this, but nothing could prepare her for the second bag. The letters came from humans, once fervent believers and followers of the Fellowship of the Sun.

"Your child has changed my perception of vampires." One letter said. "Her strength and her goodness will forever stay with me. Thank you for raising such and amazing child and changing my mind."

A second was a letter of apology. "I am sorry for the hardship the Fellowship has caused you and your daughter. I wholeheartedly pray that you are both well, along with the human girl. I will not ask for your forgiveness. We do not deserve it. I just hope you know how many lives you and your amazing daughter touched that night."

The letters went on like this. Page after page of people praising Lucy's parenting and offering prayers and apologies.

In the days that followed Lucy read and re-read the letters. She allowed Penny to read some particularly touching ones and the two of them started writing back. Penny decorated her replies with pictures of flowers and stars and smiling people with tiny fangs.

Lucy had been giving a break from work, to decide whether or not she was going to return at all. Lucy didn't want to risk it, but she couldn't survive without a job forever, and as a vampire, forever was what they had.

It was during this break when Queen called saying she would like Lucy and Penny to come to her manor.

On this visit, Penny wore her favorite dress and her favorite golden blonde wig. Lucy marveled at how much she looked like a normal child.

"Hello Darling," The Queen said bending to kiss Penny's forehead. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm well," she said with a curtsy, "thank you your Majesty."

"Majesty," Lucy said bowing. "Thank you for having us in your home."

"Thank you for coming," she said. "There is some business we must discuss."

A woman stepped inside. She was a beautiful black woman with long curly hair and honey brown eyes. She wore a dark grey skirt suit with sleek heels. Penny thought she looked like a Barbie, a vampire Barbie that is.

"This," the Queen said, "is Cassandra Langley," she said offering her hand. "Public Relations Liaison for the American Vampire League."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," the woman said with a firm hand shake.

"Yes Ms. Langley, I've seen you on TV before. To what do we owe this pleasure," she asked nervously.

"Please," she said, "Call me Cassandra. I am here with a proposition for you. Let me first say that video footage from the fellowship seminar as reached the highest levels of both the Authority and the AVL. It is common opinion that you have done a remarkable job in the up bringing of little Penny."

"Thank you," Lucy said, "but I can't take credit for it. Penny hasn't changed a bit since the day I met her in her human form. She is remarkable all on her own."

"Even better," Cassandra smiled. "As you are already well aware, the post Russell Edgington world is a dangerous place for vampires. The AVL wants to put a positive face on the mainstreaming movement. And what face could be kinder and gentler than a child." She pulled a rough draft of a poster. It was a picture of a little girl, presumably to be replaced with one of Penny, in a frilly pink dress playing with dolls. Below, the caption read, "I promise not to bite."

"We're still working on the wording," Cassandra said.

"You want Penny to be an AVL spokes person?"

"A poster child," she replied. "Literally. She would be the focal point of our new "We still have heart" campaign. What do you say?"

"I don't know," Lucy said. "Putting her out in the public eye like that. It seems really dangerous. We've been through enough already."

"She'll be in the public eye either way," the Queen said. "I'm not trying to convince you, but videos from the Fellowship are already online. The AVL is doing what it can to keep it out of mainstream press until they can spin it our way. If we don't do it first, the fellowship will find a way to."

"I just want to know she'll be safe."

"No problem," Cassandra said. "You can be with her 24/7. Wherever she goes, you go, photo shoots, press conferences, talk show appearances. Our surveys have shown that the image of a mother and daughter is even stronger than the child alone."

"I don't know." She looked to Penny, who'd been listening very intently the whole time. "What do you think?"

"If I can stop them from hurting other people the way they hurt us, I'll do it."

"Fantastic," Cassandra said with a squeal. "We'll write up the paperwork and have it sent over. We'll schedule our first shoot for the first of December, see if we can't get something family oriented out by Christmas."

With that Cassandra rolled up her poster and shook Lucy's hand. "Thank you Ms. Bloom," she said. "And you too, Ms. Penny."

Then as quickly as she'd come she was gone.

The Queen's face was emotionless.

"Do you think this is a good idea," Lucy asked.

"I think it's the only way you can make a living and make sure you're always there for Penny. And I think that considering what a special child she is, it's the best use of her celebrity."

On the night of December first Penny was the center of attention in a large studio. She wore a red velvet dress with a white lace collar. It looked like the kind of dress the girls on Christmas cards wore. There were numerous sets arranged around the space; a Christmas tree surrounded by presents, a roaring fire in a fireplace, even falling snow complete with a snowman. A table of wigs sat by ready for use, but the photographer seemed to be favoring the short blonde one, Penny's favorite.

When the photographer took a break to adjust his equipment, a figure in the shadows caught Penny's eye.

"Eric!" She shouted leaping into his arms.

"Hello Princess. You look beautiful as ever."

"Thank you," she smiled. "The told me I could keep all my dresses."

"Oh, well then I guess you don't want this then," he said holding up a box with his free hand.

"No!" She insisted. "I want it!"

Eric laughed as Lucy shushed the child.

"Then you can have it."

Penny ripped the paper excitedly.

The label on the outside of the box said "All American Girl" and a doll looked out of the plastic casing.

The doll inside had milky white skin and bright blue eyes. Short blond hair flipped up just passed her chin. She wore dark glittery jeans, hot pink Chuck Taylors, and a hot pink t-shirt. Across that shirt, scrolled in a familiar font, it said "Fangtasia" in black letters. She looked like a normal girl, but in her slightly open mouthed smile sat a perfect plastic set of fangs.

Penny hugged him tightly. "She's perfect Eric. Where did you get her?"

"I had to pull some strings with the manufacturer, but they said they'll make the fangs an option now."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." She said kissing his cheek.

"I figured you needed a new doll," he said smiling, "since we lost draculaura at the church."

"I love her."

"You can changer her outfits too," he said handing her a smaller box. "They told me this one would match your dress for the shoot."

"Can she be in the picture too," she begged.

"You'll need to ask the photographer."

Penny ran off to show her new doll to the man.

"Thank you," Lucy said. "Not just for the doll, for everything. I can't say it enough."

Eric shrugged, "we help our own."

By Christmas posters were everywhere showing off the new face of the AVL. A picture of a blonde vampire girl in a bright red dress and her doll looking out a frosted windowpane with a caption that said "Peace on earth and goodwill to **ALL**"


End file.
